Future of digital collections in museums, libraries & archives Information versus knowledge in the smartphone age - Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016
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Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016
Future of digital collections in museums, libraries & archives Information versus knowledge in the smartphone age
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 39 Number 2 May 2013 1
welcome We’d love to hear your ideas
for articles, reviews or case
contents
This issue studies. Turn to page 23 for
we’re looking your opportunity to win a News
in particular at book. Figshare
A open
new look for data 3
the journal ; MMIT Group survey & prize winners
Know Your Place
Shakespeare doeshistoric
Mangamaps project 5
3
how technology 03 Bibliometrics; bamboo notebooks; totem pole art 4
developments Just email the editor: BFI news
impact on the catherine.dhanjal@ Free keyboard; animation updates; Credo news; voice control 5
El Sur (The South) 7
fundamental theanswer.ltd BFI: 1920s nature DVD; samurai epics 6
The Glass Shield 8
nature of what Best of
Paris the blog
Blues 9
7
we think of as Changes to the profession, Google Wave & more
information and knowledge, from MmIT is published quarterly Reviews
everyday tech such as smartphones by the Multimedia Reviews
Product review: Nuance Power PDF Advanced 2 10
and Google to augmented reality. Information & Technology 13 Book review: Library Mashups
Features
8
Group of Cilip in electronic Book review: Envisioning future academic library services:
The future of digital collections and services in museums, libraries
Warm regards, format in February, May, initiatives, ideas and challenges 10
and archives 13
August and November. Copy Book review: Information is Beautiful 12
RRS Discovery and augmented reality 17
deadlines: six weeks prior to Book review: Content licensing: buying and selling digital resources14
Information in an increasingly-interconnected world 21
publication. IP access or user Product review: Xtreme Web Designer 5 15
Smart uses of data and organisational intelligence 23
name/password available. Public library
Digital literacyfocus:
in an age of exponential ICT change 29
£75 p.a. for institutional Wireless in public libraries 16
Marketing insights
Catherine Dhanjal, Managing Editor subscribers.
21 London Libraries Consortium
The merits of free image sites
18
32
Local studies and social media at Solihull 20
From time to time, MmIT offers space to Technology roundup
Features
Cover image: https://pixabay.com/en/users/vancarlosfr-2904476/
suppliers who are developing and marketing Reading lights: LuminoLite Extra-Bright; Ecologic Mart’s
products of potential interest to information For advertising,
Advertising, subscriptions and online Aston Martin Heritage Trust: archiving 22
Eye Care 33
services. Neither the journal nor the MMIT subscriptions
access, contact the and
Managing Editor Deciphering geek speak; the risks of social media 24
Fitness gadgets: Lumo Run shorts; Halo Sport; MyZone Sports
Group endorse any of the services covered +online access,
44 (0) 1883 contact:
650434 / 07941 669925 QR codes in HE 26
Bra; Victoria’s Secret heart rate bra; Nabu Smartband 34
in these pages. Articles published reflect catherine.dhanjal@theansweruk.com Improving access to cultural content & art 28
h.ear in NC earbuds; Gymwatch; Finis Duo underwater
the opinions of the authors and are not Catherine Dhanjal Royal Horticultural Society’s online image library 32
MP3 player; iSpO2 Pulse Oximeter; GoPro HERO4 Session 35
23
necessarily those of the editorial board
or MMIT Group. While every reasonable
Managing
Editorial Editor
Board
Tel: + 44 (0)800
Anthony Hugh 998 7990 (Chair);
Thompson
32 Technology roundup
and finally...
34
Promotion through photographs; clearing the clutter;
effort is made to ensure that the contents or mobile:
Alun + 44(Finance
Jenkins (0)7941 Manager);
669925 Coming soon 36
online painting
of the articles, editorial and advertising are Catherine Dhanjal (Managing OPACs still popular; mobile devices & libraries; better 35
accurate, no responsibility can be accepted Email: Kevin Curran; Kate Lomax;
Editor); public speaking
by the editorial board or MMIT Group for and Olwen Terris
catherine.dhanjal@theanswer.ltd
errors, misrepresentations or any resulting
and finally... 36
effects. Acceptance of an advertisement does
Coming next; cartoon Cheetham reviews IRISnotes
not imply endorsement of the advertiser’s
product(s) by the editorial board or MMIT.
29
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4
news
news •
redistribute.
Researchers in the social
sciences demonstrate the
highest level of awareness
•
or reused.
Researchers are uncertain
who will meet the costs of
making data open.
whether by mandate or not, state
they have made their datasets
open and available, and value a
data citation as much as an article
licensing, contractual and ethical
concerns around data sharing are
key to participating appropriately
in the open community. We need
by subject area, while by • More than half of respondents citation. to provide the right education
New insights into the global geography, researchers in said they would welcome “This clearly demonstrates to young academics, and
Asia demonstrate the least more guidance on compliance researchers consider sharing provide clear guidance to more
state of open data familiarity. with their funder’s policy. datasets as core to the furthering established colleagues to ensure a
• Researchers place value on • Researchers are uncertain of of research. It is equally clear culture change can take place, and
Figshare, an online digital the credit they receive for how to cite datasets: from the results of the survey that that confusion does not prevail.”
repository for academic research, making data open: • Less than half of respondents researchers also feel the need for
today released the results • Nearly 70% of researchers say they are confident in how greater support in understanding Mark Hahnel, CEO and founder,
of its global survey of 2,000 value as data citation as much to cite a secondary research what is becoming a highly Figshare said: “While the survey
researchers and report, “The as an article citation. A further dataset. complex and nuanced activity. reveals researchers are driving
State of Open Data,” to assess the 10% value a data citation • There are indications that the “Understanding copyright, adoption of open data practices
global landscape around open more than an article citation. future will be more open:
data and sharing practices. This • Awareness of open data • Researchers who have never
report has been supported by transcends age and career made data openly available
parent company Digital Science progression: are considering doing so — of
and the survey was conducted • Encouragingly, Principal respondents who have not
in partnership with Springer Investigators (PIs) and made any data open to date,
Nature. It highlights the extent Professors consistently 44% will definitely consider
of awareness around open data, responded similarly to PhD doing so in the future, and a
the incentives around its use, and students and Post-doctoral further 46% might consider
perspectives researchers have fellows in their awareness of doing so.
about making their own research open data usage. • Regional differences exist:
data open. • Respondents admit to North American respondents
uncertainty and gaps in their who have not yet made
The key findings of the report knowledge and are hungry data open are most likely
for more information, perhaps to do so in the future; Asian
include:
one set of critical factors that respondents are least likely to
• For the majority of hold back progression in open do so.
respondents, open data is data sharing
already a reality: • Of the researchers who have
• Approximately three quarters already made their data A key inflection point
of respondents have made open, 60% of respondents are Daniel Hook, CEO of Digital
their research data openly unsure about the licensing Science said: “Today’s findings
available at some point; a conditions under which they show we have reached a key
similar number are aware have already shared their inflection point in the research
of datasets that are open to data, and thus the extent to community — nearly three-
access, reuse, repurpose and which it can be accessed quarters of all researchers,
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 3
news
— sharing and using open data professionals in the open data Open Data in Burkina Faso.
far more than previously thought space from around the globe and a Malick Tapsoba, Burkina Open
— it also indicates researchers foreword from Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Data Initiative, Burkina Faso
would welcome further guidance chairman and co-founder of the • The State of Australian
in a few specific areas. These Open Data Institute (ODI), UK. Research Data — Systems
include measuring compliance Contributed articles include: are Ready but Where are
to their funder’s policies, • Open by Default. Dr Mark the Incentives? David
understanding the extent in which Hahnel, Figshare, UK & Dr Groenewegen, Monash
data can be accessed and reused Daniel Hook, Digital Science, University, Australia
without infringing on licenses, UK • Can Japan Catch Up?
and thoughts and ideas on the • Why Open Data Now? Big Fostering Culture, People,
overarching question of how to Data, Knowledge Production and Community for Research
meet costs incurred enabling and the Political Economy of Data. Nobuko Miyairi, ORCID,
data to be open and accessible. Research. Dr Sabina Leonelli, Japan & Dr Kazuhiro Hayashi,
At Figshare we will continue University of Exeter, UK National Institute of Science
to work to enable researchers • Open Season for Open Data: and Technology Policy,
and institutions to meet these A Survey of Researchers. Dr Japan 11.
challenges moving forward.” Briony Fane, Digital Science, • The Bird in Hand: Humanities
Jon Treadway, Digital Science, Research in the Age of Open
Dan Penny, head of Market Anna Gallagher, Springer Data. Professor Daniel
Intelligence at Springer Nature Nature, Dan Penny, Springer O’Donnell University of
said: “Our data shows researchers Nature, & Dr Mark Hahnel, Lethbridge, Canada.
may agree with the spirit of Figshare, UK
sharing their research outputs, but • Open Data Will Save Lives The PDF report is available at:
many face technical, regulatory – Notes from the AllTrials https://figshare.com/articles/
or personal concerns in actually Campaign for Clinical Trials The_State_of_Open_Data_ internationally to help them meet research setting. It invests in and
getting data out there. Transparency. Dr Till Bruckner Report/4036398 key funder recommendations and incubates scientific software
“At Springer Nature we want & Beth Ellis, Sense About to provide world-leading tools to companies that simplify the
to drive open data forward by Science, UK About Figshare support an open culture of data research cycle, making more
reducing these obstacles, and • Practical Steps for Increasing Figshare is a web-based platform sharing and collaboration. Figshare time for discovery. Its portfolio
work alongside governments, the Openness and to help academic institutions is a Digital Science portfolio companies include a host of leading
funders, and institutions to ensure Reproducibility of Research manage, disseminate and measure company. and admired brands including
that researchers who contribute Data. Natalie Meyers, Center the public attention of all their For more information, visit Altmetric, BioRAFT, Figshare,
towards open science see a clear for Open Science, USA research outputs. The light-touch http://figshare.com and follow Labguru, Overleaf, ReadCube,
benefit, and get credit, for doing • Emerging Policies for Open and user-friendly approach @figshare on Twitter. GRID, TetraScience, Symplectic and
so.” Research Data in the United focuses on four key areas: research ÜberResearch. It is operated by
States. Heather Joseph, data management, reporting About Digital Science global media company, Holtzbrinck
Scholarly Publishing and and statistics, research data Digital Science is a technology Publishing Group.
Contributed articles & insights
Academic Resources Coalition, dissemination and administrative company serving the needs of For more information, visit
The report gathers insights USA control. Figshare works with scientific and research communities, www.digital-science.com and follow
and narratives from leading • Building Trust — The State of institutions in North America and at the laboratory bench or in a @digitalsci on Twitter.
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 4
news
Historic maps and archives now available online through Heritage Lottery project historic maps, images and linked 2017. The project is building a free
information. online digital mapping research
Historic maps of the West Country Landmarks from Bath, What is Know Your Place Know Your Place – West of tool to map community heritage
can now be viewed online at www. Bristol, Gloucestershire, South England project is an HLF-funded across the West of England.
West of England?
kypwest.org.uk — the website is Gloucestershire and Wiltshire are partnership project (Heritage Counties covered by the project
free for anyone to view. It shows included with highlights from well A digital heritage mapping project Lottery Fund) working across are: Gloucestershire (inc. Forest
modern and historic maps side by known landmarks including the to help you to explore your 7 counties and 25+ heritage of Dean), South Gloucestershire,
side with archive images and links. coal mines at Radstock. neighbourhood online through partners from July 2015 to March Wiltshire (inc. Swindon), North
Somerset, Bath & NE Somerset,
and Somerset.
The project will digitise and
bring together a range of historic
map series and collections data
into a single online portal where
users can explore a geographic
area, how it has evolved over
time and add their own heritage
information about ‘their place’ to
the site.
Who is involved?
This project is a collaboration of
a wide range of organisations
participating across the region,
with more partners being added
as we go along. The lead partner
is South Gloucestershire Council,
and other key partners include:
The British Library, National Library
Scotland, Bristol City Council,
Gloucestershire Archives, South
West Heritage Trust, Wiltshire
& Swindon History Centre, Bath
Records Office, Historic England’s
Heritage Schools, the South
West Museums Development
Partnership and a number of local
specialist subject groups.
This project is an extension of
the successful Know Your Place –
Bristol mapping project which was
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 5
news
established in 2011 and has been blog, heritage walks, school 1930s) For the first time, these maps 2016, followed by Wiltshire and
going strong since. The project resource packs and oral • OS Town Plans (1:500, will be digitised and stitched Gloucestershire in summer 2016,
will build on the Know Your Place histories. c.1890s) together to provide a seamless and Bath & North East Somerset,
website coverage of the city • To upload condition surveys • Goad Fire Insurance plans ‘layer’ of coverage of the area that Somerset and North Somerset in
of Bristol, and extend it to the of heritage assets to the for Bristol, Bath & Gloucester you can navigate around, zoom the autumn, with the aim to have
surrounding six counties listed. website. (late 19th C) into and search within. the entire region ‘live’ and online
The Know Your Place – West • National Grid sheets before the end of 2016.
of England project will provide What maps will be added? (c.postwar-1965). My area doesn’t appear on Know
unprecedented online access to For the historic counties of These have been carefully
Your Place at the moment. When The project runs until March
maps of the historic landscape of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and selected to ensure we provide
will I see this? 2017. What happens to Know
the region, to which users will be Somerset we will be adding: as broad and comprehensive
able to contribute information, • Tithe maps (c.1840s) cover of the whole region we The project will be adding Your Place after that?
building a rich and diverse • Enclosure maps (c.18th -19th can over approx. 5-6 ‘layers’ and information onto Know Your We want the project to leave a
community map of local heritage C, excluding Wiltshire) c.120 years, and include the most Place on a county-by-county good legacy and are working to
for everyone. • OS maps (25” 1st, 2nd, 3rd popular map series that are used basis through 2016, starting with build a firm foundation for Know
/ revised editions c.1880s – for research. South Gloucestershire in January Your Place to continue to grow
What are the project’s aims? long after the project has ended.
We are being funded to achieve The project is entering legacy
the following for the Heritage agreements with all our key
Lottery Fund: partners to ensure that all ‘Know
• To scan, digitise and geo- Your Place’ digital resource and
reference historic maps all the data on it will continue
from Gloucestershire, South to be hosted and available for at
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, least five years after the project
Somerset, North Somerset, until 2021. This means users can
Bath and North East still access it for research and
Somerset. uploading records.
• To expand the existing ‘Know
Your Place’ Bristol website to I am interested in getting involved
include historic maps from in the project. How do I get
the West of England area. started?
• To recruit and train Drop us an email with your contact
volunteers. details to: KYPWestofEngland@
• To deliver basic conservation southglos.gov.uk for an
of fragile maps. informal conversation and advice
• To create a mobile app. on getting started.
• To create an exhibition to be Follow us on Twitter:@
toured to venues. KYPWestEngland and on Facebook
• To deliver a range of heritage at: Know Your Place - West of
learning activities including England . Visit the project website at
talks and presentations, a www.kypwest.org.uk
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 6
BFI news
El Sur (The South) meticulously lit compositions
All images: Courtesy of BFI NB. Permission granted solely for reproduction in direct publicity or promotion of the BFI release of El Sur. Use in any other product or service
and the evocative soundtrack,
are superb throughout; Omero
Antonutti is a charismatic
Agustín, while Sonsoles
Aranguren and Icíar Bollaín shine,
as respectively, the young and
teenaged Estella.
Although less well-known than
Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive, El
Sur is exquisitely beautiful and
profoundly moving.
Special features
• Presented in both High
Definition and Standard
Definition
• Haunted Memory: The
cinema of Víctor Erice
“One of the best in Spanish cinema (Adrian Martin, Cristina
history” Pedro Almodóvar Álvarez López, 2016,
13mins): a video essay
Recalling her youth in northern celebrating the great
Spain during the 1950s, Estrella Spanish director
revisits her relationship with her • Víctor Erice interviewed by
beloved father Agustín, who was Geoff Andrew (UK, 2003,
raised in the south, and realises 83mins, audio only)
how little she knew of him and • Theatrical re-release trailer
his secrets. Víctor Erice’s delicate (2016)
and mysterious film reveals his • Fully illustrated booklet
abiding fascination with memory featuring essays by Geoff
and loss, missed opportunities Andrew and Mar Diestro-
and the links between private Dópido and full film credits
dreams and political realities.
Following its well-received Product details:
theatrical release in September, RRP: £19.99/ Cat. no. BFIB1229 /
El Sur now comes to DVD and Cert PG/Spain/1983/
Blu-ray, released by the BFI on 23 Colour/ 95 mins /
is prohibited.
January 2017 in a Dual Format Spanish language with English
Edition. subtitles
The performances, like the www.bfi.org.uk/shop
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 7
BFI news
The Glass Shield squad, rookie cop JJ Johnson Immediately positioned as mins) Cert 12/USA/1994/ 149 mins /
All images: Courtesy of BFI NB. Permission granted solely for reproduction in direct publicity or promotion of the BFI release of The Glass Shield. Use in any other product
(Michael Boatman, The Good an outsider, along with fellow • Illustrated booklet with full colour/English language, with
Wife) struggles to adapt to life novice cop Deborah (Lori Petty, film credits and new writing optional hard-of-hearing subtitles
on the force when confronted Tank Girl, Orange is the New Black), by Bridget Minamore
by the inherent prejudices and JJ witnesses at first hand the Watch the trailer at: www.youtube.
corruption of his precinct. brutality and implicit racism of Product details: com/watch?v=8jRotbedSNY&featu
Directed by Charles Burnett (Killer his white colleagues. When an RRP: £14.99/ Cat. no. BFIB1258/ re=youtu.be
of Sheep, My Brother’s Wedding), unlawful search results in the
The Glass Shield is a thrilling arrest of Teddy Woods (Ice Cube,
drama that shines a light on the Boyz N the Hood) on dubious
deep-rooted racial tensions of the murder charges, JJ risks his job
American justice system and the and his life to reveal the truth.
toll of opposing institutionalised Special features
bigotry. • Presented in High Definition
Following the BFI’s current and Standard Definition
BLACK STAR season, it will be • Newly filmed interview with
released on Blu-ray and DVD Charles Burnett (2016, 26
in a Dual Format Edition on 23 mins)
The first black recruit in his January 2017. • Alternative ending (1994, 2
or service is prohibited.
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 8
BFI news
Paris Blues streets of the Left Bank at
night. But their carefree idyll is
disturbed when two American
Cover image only: Courtesy of BFI NB. Permission granted solely for reproduction in direct publicity or promotion of the BFI release of Paris Blues. Use in any other
tourists (Joanne Woodward and
Diahann Carroll) enter their lives
and, against the backdrop of
music and moonlight, they find
themselves falling in love.
Photo of Louis Armstrong: . https://pixabay.com/en/louis-armstrong-jazz-trumpeter-398146/ https://pixabay.com/en/users/skeeze-272447/
All too soon, however, romance
is put to the test, as the men find
themselves torn between their
love for the women and their
passion for music. Featuring the
legendary Louis Armstrong as
Wild Man Moore, the film score
was written by the incomparable
Duke Ellington, who was
nominated for an Oscar in 1962.
The 1961 feature Paris Blues, shot
on location in Paris with an all- Special features
star cast and featuring a superb • Presented in High Definition
Oscar-nominated jazz score, and Standard Definition
written by Duke Ellington, was • Audio commentary by Adrian
released by the BFI on 24 Martin
October 2016. • Stills Gallery
Presented in a Dual Format • Isolated music and effects
Edition (DVD/Blu-ray discs), it is track
the latest home entertainment • Original trailer
release as part of BFI BLACK • Illustrated booklet with
STAR, the BFI’s season of film essays by Nicolas Pillai,
and television screenings, Rashida K Braggs and Philip
special events, and DVD/Blu-ray/ Kemp; full film credits
VoD releases, all dedicated to
celebrating the range, versatility Product details:
product or service is prohibited.
and power of black actors. RRP: £19.99/
Ram Bowen (Paul Newman) Blu-ray Cat. no. BFIB1264 / Cert
and Eddie Cook (Sidney Poitier) 12/UK/1961/ 106 mins / black and
are jazz musicians who live white/ English language, with
for music. Their Paris is one of optionsl hard-of-hearing subtitles
underground, smoke-filled jazz Available from BFI Shop, Tel: 020
bars and the rain-drenched 7815 1350 or www.bfi.org.uk/shop
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 9
reviews
reviews The early days of computing saw us facing
considerable problems with electronic
documents that we couldn’t read or print as
we didn’t have the same software with which
the documents were generated.
Nuance Power PDF Advanced 2 The PDF (Portable Document Format) was
conceived by Adobe; it was a layout format
which allowed exact placement of images
and text.
...a similar interface to Microsoft Office makes the
interface much simpler to grasp and work with
Adobe’s Acrobat software wrapped up
documents into PDF files which could be
read by Acrobat Reader and this was offered
free to download so anyone could open, read Figure 1: opening screen
and print the PDF files.
Openly edit PDF files
The PDF file format became an open
standard and many PDF-related software
programs became available, some of these
being able to openly edit PDF files. Nuance
Power PDF Advanced 2 is one such
PDF editor.
Although the package is a comprehensive
collection of tools for the ‘business’ user,
the program has implemented a ‘ribbon’
interface similar to that used in Microsoft
Office and which replaces the ‘cascading
menus’ approach to working. This has made
the interface much simpler to grasp and work
with, if only through its familiarity.
The File Menu has also been constructed Figure 2: importing screen in motion.
to reproduce that of the Office 2016
applications. screen view after selecting three different Creating documents from scratch
Figure 1 (top right) shows the opening document formats to combine in one PDF The basic options for creating new PDF
screen when ‘Create PDF’ is chosen to file. After choosing desired options, such documents on starting up Nuance are:
combine files into one PDF document. as quality and save destination, clicking on From File, Blank PDF, From Clipboard, Create
Figure 2 (bottom right) shows the same the right pointing arrow will set the creation PDF Portfolio and From Scanner.
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 10reviews
program is way beyond your needs, you
can settle for the Standard version at £80,
downloaded or in a box. Both prices are
inclusive of VAT.
I would suggest though that you don’t
allow yourself to be daunted by the number
of tools available in Nuance, as they are
not difficult to use and if you can afford the
Advanced version they may very well come
into their own as your needs develop.
Because there are so many tools, Nuance
incorporates a Find-a-Tool search box, located
top right of your working window space.
Powerful
Some of the innovative thinking that has
gone in to the development of this latest
version of Nuance has introduced support
for Windows 10 and touchscreen devices
alongside of it.
There are also strong links supporting
cloud storage and retrieval, so that saving
to or downloading from the cloud is easily
achieved, even opening documents from
Figure 3: form controls and field options irretrievable or lost
2. To change a stored or received PDF in
These options contain further, refining order to update its content and to make
variations and the newcomer should look it more appropriate to purpose.
through each of these to become familiar
with the choices in order to make the best ...at £140 it’s a bargain that easily competes with
selection. Although numerous, they are Adobe’s latest package at twice the price
straightforward and the program makes
each clear.
The value of Nuance Power PDF Advanced
Powerful functions 2 comes from its orientation towards the
One particular value of a PDF editor against business user rather than the arts/household
a converter/editor really lies in the facility to arena and at £140 it’s a bargain that easily
carry out recovery functions: competes with Adobe’s latest package at
1. To regain from PDF the content of an twice the price. Figure 4: form for conversion
original document that has become Further if you feel that the full Advanced
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 11reviews
the cloud and combining them in PDF document is ready for conversion to a fillable Figure.5: form conversion completed, Nuance has also included, alongside of
format. form. The method followed was File, Open typing in progress. its speech recognition, Optical Character
The program is also compatible with and the required file chosen. Recognition (OCR) from OmniPage, a fine
Windows 7 and 8. It’s not small, needing Additional features OCR program that I have used extensively
700MBof hard drive and 1GB of memory ... deserves every accolade offered to it Those features in the Review menu that for many years. It does depend to some
to run. are aimed at collaboration and sharing are extent on the character/print quality of
Frustrated by forms that you can’t fill in The next step was to select Form Type, especially good. the document to be scanned, as with any
online? No more! Nuance will convert them top left of the Forms ribbon, when each box Text may be marked or annotated in a OCR program, but it enables automatic
so that they can be so filled, but can also on the form is highlighted as shown below. variety of ways from the Comment ribbon, proofreading and spelling correction, as well
create forms for you that can be so filled. Each box in turn may then be selected and perhaps with call-outs for example, but as moving the document’s content around to
Figure 3 shows the Forms controls with completed from the keyboard. ‘Wednesday’ Dragon Notes is also in there, providing the improve reader friendliness.
field options. is the box currently being filled. Could it means of introducing dictated observations
Figure 4 shows the Forms tab selected the possibly be much simpler than that? that are converted into editable text. Conclusion
Overall, it is Nuance’s magnificent set
of features that appeal to me and their
simplicity of use via the stress-free interface.
The easy assimilation with Microsoft Office
is a useful bonus and the simple creation of
interactive forms as demonstrated is a huge
addition for streamlining data collection.
The inclusion of both OCR and Speech
Recognition provide a great advantage and
an exceptional option for both aurally and
visually impaired users.
Nuance Power PDF Advanced 2 is an
excellent program that deserves every
accolade offered to it. It makes PDF
conversions seem like child’s play, no matter
in which direction the conversion is moving
and with its range of facilities and ease of
access it is a really solid piece of software that
for its price is an absolute bargain!
www.nuance.co.uk/go/powerpdf
Ken Cheetham,
Student Services,
Cardiff Metropolitan
University
Figure 5: form conversion completed
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 12towards a single channel for digital assets features
Strategic innovation and delivery in the digital space
Chris Batt recently completed his operational practices of public collecting institutions Using academic and populist literature, the internet’s
PhD which examines whether (museums, libraries and archives) to identify similarities development and social impact between 2000 and 2014
the current service paradigms and differences was explored. This produced a list of 37 key trends of socio-
of collecting institutions will 3. Comparing the evidence from stages one and two to technical change ranging from the ubiquity of mobile
continue to be effective in the highlight similarities and differences technology to the fundamental restructuring of sectors such
face of socio-technical change. 4. From that comparison, presenting strategic challenges as retail and the recorded music industry.
Former posts include director of and opportunities for future planning of digital
Cultural Services in the London services maximizing user value. Drivers of internet change
Borough of Croydon and chief This list was further distilled into four drivers of internet
executive of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Intermediate outcomes change:
Council, making Chris uniquely positioned to see the Recommendations for action were based on specific 1. The internet as digital common carrier: a single, global
entire ALM space outcomes from the first two stages of research. channel with simple ubiquitous protocols encourages
Introduction
“In the digital world, all of the objects that we have access to
via the Web have been imbued with the ability to speak…
This leads to the inescapable conclusion that, in the digital
environment, the distinctions between libraries, museums
and archives that we take for granted are in fact artificial.”11
This short article focuses on the implications and
outcomes of Collecting Institutions in the Network Society ,
my PhD research2 at University College London.
Echoing Bob Martin’s view above, my hypothesis was that
the traditionally highly fragmented, top-down structures
of public service severely limit response to new digital
opportunities.
The research aimed to provide tangible evidence
supporting the hypothesis and to propose approaches to
future developments based around the convergence of the
development and delivery of digital assets.
Four research stages
The methodological approach involved four stages:
1. Understanding the fundamental effects that make
the Internet such a powerful agent of socio-technical
change
2. Examining the contemporary purposes and
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 13towards a single channel for digital assets features
resource convergence and offers instant two-way the service/professional practices of collecting institutions:
communication social value as long-term collectors and curators supporting
2. The internet redefines space and time: every formal and informal learning; the maintenance of physical
network node instantly accessible; transmission costs collections in fixed locations and, more recently, the
independent of distance and time, enabling fast integration of Web 2.0 tools and digital collection building
innovation and rapid social diffusion. to enhance the user experience. Collecting institutions, of
3. The internet possesses its own gravitational forces: course, exist within broader organisational structures.
successful services grow rapidly due to viral marketing Public service today remains rooted in top/down command
driven by social media, feeding increasing growth; the and control structures with collecting institutions forming
big get bigger components in a vertically integrated structure of policy and
4. The internet redefines the relationship between the funding. This longstanding institutional paradigm provides
supplier and the user: traditional innovation had high mechanisms for sustaining policies, local priorities and
capital development costs; digital innovation has low accountability.
overheads encouraging risk taking and experiment; The result is a highly fragmented landscape of collecting
two-way engagement with user involvement in the institutions where the institutional identity is paramount,
development process. constraining horizontal collaboration and shared policy
within and across institutional sectors.
Innovation is low-risk, grounded in existing service
the research aimed to [...] propose approaches to future frameworks, lacks shared exploitation of the Internet and
developments based around the convergence of the means that a single statement of social value that might
development and delivery of digital assets influence national digital policy agendas is impossible.
Stage Four: the need for action
An additional conclusion from stage one is that The final stage of the research sought to articulate these
an agrarian-like revolution is taking place. The pre- outcomes into a set of issues of practical use to practitioners
2000 knowledge hunter/gatherer, relying on access and policymakers.
to physical destinations has now become online The first issue was, in the absence of any explicit shared
harvester. mission statement across collecting institutions, to see
whether a convincing draft might be synthesised using the
Stage two: examining purposes and practices 26,000 word dataset extracted from published documents
Stage two, the purposes and processes of UK and websites. Using only the highest frequency words from
collecting institutions, involved analysis of all public the dataset the following was produced:
strategies and policy documents 2000-2014 and “The purpose of museums, libraries and archives is
a survey of almost 1,000 institutional websites to to maintain and promote collections and services to
identify digital strategies and mission statements, for encourage people’s learning and enjoyment and to develop
subsequent textual analysis. A review of all research communities.”
literature on digital innovation across collecting As the collective voice of museums, libraries and archives,
institutions to identify scope and nature was also could this be a mission umbrella for joint advocacy digital
undertaken. strategy? Discuss.
Analysis revealed a set of linked characteristics The next issue was practical comparison between the four
common to public collecting institutions, embracing Generic Drivers and the characteristics of the institutional
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 14towards a single channel for digital assets features
paradigm to draw out the tensions between opportunities experienced online harvesters, without significant • Dealing with the speed of innovation and change
enabled by the generic drivers and the challenges that would convergence in digital collections’ innovation and delivery,
have to be overcome by collecting institutions: collecting institutions will be unable to ensure maximum It is my hope that, at the very least, these outcomes will
value to all citizens. encourage a debate about the future of digital services not
The second conclusion was that it is possible to identify simply grounded in the status quo models of today.
Generic Drivers of Institutional Paradigm: from the comparative analysis three strategic challenges that
Change: Opportunities Challenges must be addressed debated at an early stage. The pre-2000 knowledge hunter/gatherer, relying on access to
The research provided three strategic challenges for physical destinations has now become online harvester
Potential of Internet to Institutional Paradigm and debate:
increase social value of lack of strategic planning • Finding common purpose in digital strategy — one
collecting institutions voice, one strategy The thesis presents a possible future ‘do it once, do it
• Focus on the exchange relationship between the right’ model based around the central co-ordination of all
New relationship between Importance of status quo service and the user — this matters more than developments — a Digital Knowledge Ecology — ensuring
supplier and user, new Long-established service anything that, for the harvester, disparate collections appear as one
business models patterns
The importance of presence The value of the institution
in the digital space to meet as physical destination
emergent behaviours and
build wider audiences
Rapid innovation and The risks of radical change
diffusion
Implications of strategic Constraints of structure and
change resources
Digital channel convergence Organisational
fragmentation
Globalisation from Localism and vertical
gravitational forces integration
Need for one voice and Absence of explicit shared
one message to promote mission across collecting
collective value nationally institutions.
Two conclusions were derived from the analysis,
highlighted in the summary table above:
First, as audiences become increasingly active and
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 15towards a single channel for digital assets features
seamless resource, regardless of their institution or form. future is still out there and looks set to be increasingly digital. • A single, integrated citizen offer
Quite impossible, of course. National boundaries, My purpose was not to change the world of collecting • New relationships with and between individuals and
organisational structures, public policy and even practitioner institutions. Rather to shine a light on the challenges and with communities
worldviews all stand in the way, and in an age of financial opportunities that the digital future will bring; to demonstrate • Agile innovation
famine risk-taking is the last thing on anyone’s mind. Yet the that increasing value depends on a shift from today’s • Power and national influence through stronger
fragmented digital landscape towards the collaboration and advocacy
convergence of the Digital Knowledge Ecology. • Rethinking professional practice and development
The ideal would be “for the harvester, disparate collections appear as Over the long-term there could be huge benefits, explored • Redefining the concept of collection for the 21st
one seamless resource, regardless of their institution or form”. in some detail in the thesis: century.
What we needed today is practitioners prepared to set
aside the status quo long enough to begin a debate on more
radical futures. Abe Lincoln said it best:
“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy
present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we
must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must
think anew and act anew.”3
Chris Batt can be contacted on cbatt@mac.com
The Archives and Records Association (ARA) are publishing this
article too, and are keen to explore the ideas of a collective digital
strategy with the libraries community (at least in principle). If
anyone in interested in engaging with an initial exploratory
meeting with their peers in archives, please contact Chris.
Bibliography
1
MARTIN, R.S. (2003) Cooperation and Change: Archives, Libraries
and Museums in the United States. The Hague: IFLA. Available at:
http://webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/ebook/aw/2003/ifla/vortraege/iv/ifla69/
papers/066e-Martin.pdf
2
BATT, Chris. (2016) Collecting Institutions in the Network Society.
Available at: www.digital-futures.org/Digital_Futures/Collecting_
Institutions_in_the_Network_Society.html plus a more digestible
briefing at: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15962924/BATT%20
BRIEFING%20DOCUMENT.pdf
3
LINCOLN, A. (1862) Second Annual Message, December 1, 1862. In
Peters, G. & Woolley, J.T. The American Presidency Project [online].
Available at: www.presidency.ucsb.edu
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 16immersive technology: history meets high tech features
Shackleton and Scott’s Antarctic ship transformed by technology
Louisa Attaheri, Curator with
Dundee Heritage Trust explains
the importance of RRS Discovery
and its latest voyage — one that
combines history, a big dose
of public support and cutting
edge technology, including
augmented reality
Introduction
It was all hands on deck — literally — as the RRS Discovery
ship recently began a different sort of voyage: one of crucial
preservation.
The historic vessel, which led Captain Robert Falcon
Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their famed trip of scientific
exploration to the Antarctic, is now an award-winning visitor
attraction in Dundee. But the ship was only built to last about
ten years when it was launched back in 1901. So as part of
her ongoing maintenance plan, she recently had her masts
and rigging removed piece by piece during a highly intricate
three-week process.
... an augmented reality installation tells visitors more about the
rigging in a novel way
And while a group of four specialists took her apart, a
crowdfunding campaign was launched to pay for the de-
rigging work.
The appeal, which ran throughout November, raised
£40,000. It reached individuals and businesses, spread
worldwide and was backed by everyone from heritage groups the ship has gone through this process in 24 years. True to form for a visitor attraction that likes to push the
to a TV celebrity. The parts are now being repaired by a What’s left down at the waterfront in Dundee, now called envelope, the operators of the ship, the charity Dundee
specialist shipbuilding firm in Gloucester in what could take Discovery Quay, is something of an exposed lady — a ship Heritage Trust, decided to turn the episode into a learning
nine months and at a total cost of £350,000. It’s the first time that remains open to the public but stripped almost bare. opportunity.
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 17immersive technology: history meets high tech features Augmented reality comes to the fore fact that this crucial rigging work was going on, and this was a they were standing on the deck as well as from a bird’s eye Computer science and immersive technologies experts from way of not only explaining the value of the masts and rigging view, all the while learning historical facts and about how the the University of St Andrews were commissioned to put to the ship, and connecting visitors to the project, but also of ship worked.” together an augmented reality installation to tell visitors turning something quite technical into a lot of fun. more about the rigging in a novel way. The installation leads “The exhibit, which sits in our visitor centre just before ...this interactive exhibit uses an Xbox controller, 360 degree visitors interactively through the ship’s masts and rigging. visitors go out on the quay to visit the actual ship, has proven photospheres, historical images, and drone footage to engage Using Xbox controllers, a video screen and interactive to be a hit.” with visitors visuals of RRS Discovery, visitors can navigate around the Says Catherine Cassidy, a research fellow at the University exterior of the ship, zooming in and out on different details. of St Andrews and one of the team involved in producing the The crowdfunding process itself was something novel for The visuals are accompanied by drone footage of the ship exhibit: “This interactive exhibit uses an Xbox controller, 360 Dundee Heritage Trust. It took a gamble in turning to the that is on a loop when the exhibit is not in use. degree photospheres, historical images, and drone footage to public for money, but it was a move that more than paid off. “The new exhibit is a great example of history meets high- engage with visitors exploring the different elements of RRS One of the first donors was Lorraine Kelly, a British television tech,” says Mark Munsie, operations director with Dundee Discovery’s masts and rigging. presenter, a resident of Dundee and a patron of the Trust. Heritage Trust. “We knew we wanted to make the most of the “The idea is that people of any age can tour the ship as if Several businesses gave money, as did heritage Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 18
immersive technology: history meets high tech features
organisations including Abertay Historical Society, founded in its journey. The ship was returned to Dundee amidst much Says Paul Jennings, executive director of Dundee Heritage
1947 to promote interest in local history. Another supporter fanfare in 1986, after being used for decades as a training ship Trust: “Our crowdfunding campaign ended up being as
was Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee, which represents for Sea Scouts and the Royal Navy Reserve. much an exercise in public relations as it was an appeal for
Dundee’s nine traditional crafts. What Dundee Heritage Trust ended up doing with money. RRS Discovery has its roots in Dundee and, as such,
RRS Discovery was built in Dundee, whose shipyards Discovery’s latest ‘voyage’ was to endear the ship once more she is Dundee’s attraction. I think the campaign served as
were renowned for building whaling ships robust enough to the people of Dundee and beyond — those who value the a reminder of these roots. There was a tinge of sadness for
to withstand ice. So for a ship that was about to face the vessel and its contribution not only to history but to locals driving by and seeing the ship gradually stripped of
extremities of the Antarctic, it was the obvious place to start the future. her masts but hopefully we’ve driven home the message that
ongoing maintenance of this fabulous vessel is vital if she is to
be enjoyed by future generations.”
RRS Discovery: a timeline
• 1901: Discovery sets off on its Antarctic voyage after
being built by Dundee Shipbuilders Company
• 1904: Discovery set free from ice
• 1905: Bought by Hudson’s Bay Company to be a cargo
vessel
• 1905-1920: Voyages to USA, France, Russia, Spain,
Canada, Holland and Turkey
• 1923-1924: Ship re-fitted. Becomes a Royal Research Ship
• 1925-1927: Departs for Antarctica for oceanographic
expedition
• 1929-1931: The British, Australian and New Zealand
Antarctic Expedition, Discovery’s third and final trip
• 1931-1979: RRS Discovery is in London as a training ship
for Sea Scouts and the Royal Navy Reserve
• 1979: The ship is opened to visitors by The Maritime Trust
• 1986: RRS Discovery returns to Dundee and is berthed in
Victoria Dock
• 1993: She takes up her present berth at Discovery Point
• March 2001: Centenary of her launch
• November 2016: 20 years after returning to Dundee,
RRS Discovery undergoes major renovation work, partly
funded by a public crowdfunding campaign.
Dundee Heritage Trust
www.rrsdiscovery.com
Formed in 1985 to preserve and interpret Dundee’s Heritage,
Dundee Heritage Trust is an independent registered charity
dedicated to the guardianship, preservation and portrayal of
Dundee’s Heritage in ways that educate, inspire and enlighten
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 19immersive technology: history meets high tech features
current and future generations. RRS Discovery receives welcome funding boost from from Nine Trades sampled the attraction’s latest exhibit, an
Nine Trades augmented reality installation developed by St. Andrews
As well as the internationally significant Royal Research University which guides visitors through the ship’s mast and
Ship Discovery, Dundee Heritage Trust has responsibility for A crowdfunding campaign to raise preservation funds for the rigging using Xbox controllers.
Discovery Point Antarctic Museum plus Verdant Works, one of historic ship RRS Discovery has received a welcome boost
the nation’s most important textile museums. from Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee. The historic RRS Discovery, which made two trips to the
Antarctic in the name of scientific exploration, was built
Both sites are Accredited museums with collections of National The Nine Trades group, which represents the city’s nine in Dundee, whose shipyards were renowned for building
Significance, 5 star rated attractions with VisitScotland and traditional crafts, on Monday handed over a £5,000 cheque whaling ships robust enough to withstand ice.
have won numerous awards. towards a campaign that has only a few days left to reach its
£40,000 goal. The ship has entered a nine-month repair programme which
2016-17 Restoration Project has seen its masts and rigging removed for essential cleaning
Dundee Heritage Trust is undertaking an essential restoration In a meeting of tradition meets high-tech, representatives and repair.
project focused on Discovery’s masts and rigging. Master
shipbuilder/repairer Tommi Neilsen has been appointed as
the main contractor for this work which will commence on 1
November 2016 and may take up to 12 months to complete.
During this time RRS Discovery will have all rigging and parts
of the masts removed, however will still be open to the public
giving them a once in a generation opportunity to see the ship
‘demasted’.
As an integral function of this project the Trust has
commissioned a new augmented reality app and exhibit to
explain the work to be carried out and its importance in the
Trust’s ongoing efforts to preserve and protect one of the most
important historic ships in the World.
Funding the restoration work
The restoration project will cost approximately £350,000, for
which a major fundraising drive is currently underway. It is
hoped that funding will be secured from a number of sources,
including the Trust’s first foray into crowdfunding.
4. Continued developments
Over the next 24 months the Trust hopes to complete a series
of further enhancements to both Discovery Point and Verdant
Works including upgrades to the visitor experience and its
conferencing and events facilities.
For information on St Andrews University’s computer science
department visit www.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 20what makes knowledge an improvement over information? features
Information in an increasingly-interconnected world
The Association for Information to be free’. However, Fuller argued that this approach, if taken becomes knowledge only when it has been reproduced.
Science and Technology Annual literally, could lead to a problem of information overload. He The terms ‘information’ and ‘knowledge’ are often used
Lecture 2016 was hosted by the highlighted the example of Wikileaks, which he argued is an interchangeably, but in this kind of situation Fuller argued
Centre for Social Informatics at example of an attempt to make knowledge free in a similar that we may want to define knowledge as a product of
Edinburgh Napier University — if not more radical — spirit. The Wikileaks documents are reproduction.
on 30th November 2016. The put out in a pure information form, which is then mediated
event was opened by Professor by media outlets, such as The Guardian, who curate and How to decide what gets reproduced?
Hazel Hall of Edinburgh Napier edit the documents for the purposes of publication. In this This leads to question of what gets reproduced. This has been
University, and the Q&A chaired process, the only way the material begins to have any impact a long-running concern, captured in Ann Blair’s book ‘Too
by Dr Diane Pennington of is through a process of curation and editing. much to know’.
Strathclyde University. Fuller suggested that this shifts the problem from access Blair highlights the plight of authors in the Middle
to information to reproduction of knowledge: information Ages, who had an awareness of the enormous amount of
Introduction
In this era of smartphones and endless connectivity, we
can’t seem to get ‘too much information’. Yet equally, many
academics and pundits have long warned of ‘information
overload’.
In the ASIST Annual Lecture 2016 Professor Steve Fuller
argued that the polarity is itself not new. Indeed, what we
value in information as ‘knowledge’ has always required
a selective reproduction process, in which information is
systematically discarded and altered.
Professor Fuller is usually considered one of the founders of
Social Epistemology, which is about the social foundations of
knowledge, including the ways people relate to information,
...information from sources such as Wikileaks needs curation and
editing before it can have impact
how this changes information itself, and what, if anything, can
be called knowledge.
In this lecture, Fuller considered the problem in the context
of the production of information and the reproduction of
information.
He began by citing Stewart Brand, founder of the Whole
Earth catalog, who coined the catchphrase ‘knowledge wants
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 21what makes knowledge an improvement over information? features
information available, and the scarcity of people reproducing predecessors, but with a twist or ‘clinamen’. This twist could technology.
that information. Authors had to reproduce everything that be viewed as a moment of error, where the poet tries to copy Fuller moved on to consider the difference between
had gone before in their text, as there was no guarantee an earlier poet and fails, or as a moment of originality. distortion and clarification as part of this process.
that readers would encountered any other publication. As Reproduction of knowledge is a process that happens over
a result, an enormous amount of power was wielded by the Differentiating between error and originality time, and the people who have to understand knowledge
reproducer, who could add their own spin that would go Bloom notes that the difference between error and originality at different times come with different backgrounds. It is
undetected. is a matter of interpretation, and this can change over time. therefore important to consider what they need to take
Here Fuller paused to discuss the original meaning It is quite common for a poet to be condemned in era, and forward and what they can leave behind. This leads to
of authorship, defining it as a process of authorisation. viewed as an originator in another. However, the poet is curating and editing, which opens you up to questions of
However, as copyright and intellectual property law always being evaluated in terms of their relationship to clarification or distortion.
developed with the arrival of the printing press in the early previous poets. Fuller highlighted the field of science which, as a
17th century, there was a disentanglement of the role of Fuller argued that this principle applies across the board to progressive exercise, has to have a strong connection to the
the ‘editor’ from the role of the ‘author.’ A role emerged for all forms of knowledge reproduction. Knowledge is generally past. However, he argued that science masks the process
‘expert readers’ who could make authoritative judgements evaluated by its ability to keep within the established of reproduction of knowledge, describing the past as a
on published material, moving the ‘authorising’ role from the rhythms of its discipline, following in line with dominant streamlined, continuous process. Some information is lost
author to critics. theories. Criticism is the gatekeeper about what passes. The in this process, in the name of producing knowledge, which
Fuller described his influences on his thinking in this area, alternative is to throw all of the raw information out to the could give rise to the accusation of distortion.
including Harold Bloom’s book ‘The Anxiety of Influence’. market and crowdsource your criticism. This model has been
Bloom says that poets essentially reproduce the work of their made increasingly plausible with the advent of information Conclusion
Fuller concluded by relating these issues to Wikipedia.
Wikipedia is an example of a collaborative, collective form
of ongoing knowledge reproduction, which presents itself
as self critical and is increasingly treated as an authoritative
source of knowledge. The US Supreme Court cites Wikipedia
more often than the Encyclopaedia Britannica. However,
Wikipedia remains relatively unstudied.
Fuller argued that we are sleepwalking into Wikipedia
becoming the primary mode of knowledge reproduction in
the world. In a world awash with information, some of which
we want to have constituted as knowledge, Wikipedia is
ahead of the game.
Fuller concluded by issuing a challenge to those in
the Information Sciences to study the micro-practices of
Wikipedia in more detail and engage with it as an important
piece in this picture.
Further information
Contact event host Professor Hazel Hall: h.hall@napier.ac.uk;
http://hazelhall.org; @hazelh. See also https://storify.com/
eventamplifier/asist-al16 for a Storify of the event.
Follow Professor Steve Fuller on Twitter at @ProfSteveFuller.
Multimedia Information & Technology Volume 42 Number 4 November 2016 22You can also read
